Hours after she was exposed by journalist Omar Bah, the Executive Director for the Rhode Island Refugee Dream Center, the defiant Gambian diplomat Isatou Badjie, has took onto Facebook, bashing Omar Bah, and her critics. “I wasn’t going to speak but some things need to be said and since those who know me know I am never afraid to speak my mind, this too cannot pass without some “Isha B” breeze as has become my thug name lol. Apparently the big nuisance and his bunch of bullies just cannot get over me. They can’t stand it when any member of my family wins but really, that’s all we know how to do MarshAllah. They tried it earlier and failed miserably but haters don’t stop,” First Secretary Badjie wrote on her Facebook timeline. She denied violating any Foreign Service Regulations. Notwithstanding, she apologized to her family, friends and loved ones for what she calls this nonsense.

“I would first of all have to extend my sincere apologies to all the people unnecessarily dragged into this nonsense, including my poor dad and sister, and those misled to believe that the ethics of civil servants were compromised, they weren’t. Let me clarify that my Aunt called me last night to inform me that one Bah dude called her asking about me, just for him to wake up this morning and spend hours spreading lies about me and my family (the usual). I literally don’t know the dude and knew NOTHING of his trip to Banjul UNTIL he told my aunt last night that he was traveling there. At no point did I threaten anyone so miss me with the distorted facts. I want to make it clear that I HAVE NEVER HANDLED ANY VISA ISSUES as it is not within my job mandate, and neither was I aware of his trip until my aunt told me so last night. Visa issuance is a completely different section that has nothing to do with me and in fact that is the job of the Embassy in Washington DC and not the mission to the UN. All the lies make you wonder if people forget that we’re in the Holy Month of Ramadan,” said Ms. Badjie. Below is the full text of Ms. Badjie’s reaction to Omar Bah’s allegations.

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I wasn’t going to speak but some things need to be said and since those who know me know I am never afraid to speak my mind, this too cannot pass without some “Isha B” breeze as has become my thug name lol.

Apparently the big nuisance and his bunch of bullies just cannot get over me. They can’t stand it when any member of my family wins but really, that’s all we know how to do MarshAllah. They tried it earlier and failed miserably but haters don’t stop.

I would first of all have to extend my sincere apologies to all the people unnecessarily dragged into this nonsense, including my poor dad and sister, and those misled to believe that the ethics of civil servants were compromised, they weren’t. Let me clarify that my Aunt called me last night to inform me that one Bah dude called her asking about me, just for him to wake up this morning and spend hours spreading lies about me and my family (the usual). I literally don’t know the dude and knew NOTHING of his trip to Banjul UNTIL he told my aunt last night that he was traveling there. At no point did I threaten anyone so miss me with the distorted facts. I want to make it clear that I HAVE NEVER HANDLED ANY VISA ISSUES as it is not within my job mandate, and neither was I aware of his trip until my aunt told me so last night. Visa issuance is a completely different section that has nothing to do with me and in fact that is the job of the Embassy in Washington DC and not the mission to the UN. All the lies make you wonder if people forget that we’re in the Holy Month of Ramadan.

But I see this has become the very essence of some individuals. I survived a dictatorship I criticized over and over so trust me when I say your lies can’t tame me. They will try and fail several times but I will not be among the victims you target who don’t defend themselves. Maslaha syndrome is what has enabled these spoilers in our society. The law is here for everyone whether here or at home so if the threat of using the law against them is what them fear, then you know they’re doing something wrong.

Gambians, have we asked ourselves why all our good people have left the service and never want to come back? It’s always people who know nothing about your perseverance on the long road to success that try to wrongly judge those who’ve worked so hard all their lives. They didn’t claim so called family connection when I attended and graduated from the prestigious Spelman College with a BA with Hons in International Relations. They didn’t claim it was so called nepotism when I graduated with Hons from SOAS, University in London. Those college summers that I interned at The Gambia Mission and eventually at the UN without pay, they didn’t see any so called connection. Did the so called connections increase my salary from the mere D4000 I was receiving a month at the Foreign Ministry all these years? But then I get posted to the same UN I left behind to serve at home and it’s considered accidental success? Lol. So all of a sudden my dad has connections with my boss, yet my dad was recalled to home service? Lol. The lies, the deception, the envious ways smh. I understand though that it’s hard to understand or accept why certain people continue to succeed even after all you do to pull them down. God just has a way of placing good hearted people on the path to greatness despite all the hate.

When I was moving back to The Gambia a few years ago, many people warned me not to return. Some feared that I’d be arrested as a result of my public opposition to the Jammeh government, while others simply did not want me to be around all the hate, envy and negativity we see back home. I still moved back because service to country before self is all I’ve ever known. I watched my father spend 34 years serving his country from a mere Customs Officer to Ambassador Extraordinaire. These years he served were done with blood, sweat, tears and sacrifice, even when he wasn’t appreciated, but he still believed. His humility and respect for all of mankind all through out his career has always guided me. This has been my guiding inspiration in life and in the execution of my job. An interesting fact is that when I was born in New York back in 1990, my dad was serving in the same capacity that I am in today and little did we know that history would one day repeat itself. See how God works? In public service we believe, and we still believe because those individuals whom God has used me as a channel to deliver blessings in their lives matter way more than those who spread hate. Nothing can dim the light which shines from within. There is no secret to success besides hard work, honesty and determination. I suggest we all learn to internalize these values if we want to succeed instead of finding shortcuts through hate and envy. Y duma dem teh Ken du dem, Gambia setat len sen bopa. God decides what every individual will have and there’s nothing that man can do to stop one’s destiny. If anyone thinks that they can stand in between man and his true destiny, you lie.

It’s Saturday and I’m home resting. May Allah give us foresight to witness the Night of Power 🙏🏾.

And please give let the lame Jammeh enabler nonsense die, if you know me you know water and oil don’t mix well together.

There is so much tragedy in the world, and after years of oppression, I would think our focus and energy should be about building and not destroying. Gambia belongs to us all and I rather focus my energy on being one of those who is positively contributing to its future greatness… After all, that’s why I chose to be a PUBLIC servant of the Republic of Gambia. But that goes without saying that please don’t downgrade my ambitions. I’m not trying to keep the job of First Secretary, I’m trying to be the Secretary General of the United Nations itself, in sha Allah.